Catch 22 Blog Post 2

The novel Catch 22 shares certain similarities with Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. They are both a harsh critique on the absurdity of war and destruction. And how the people in charge often abuse people below them. However Catch 22 does this in a hilarious, very satirical way. Heart of Darkness is quite opposite; it is a very serious and harsh novel. The two main characters-Yossarian and Marlow-are similar too since they are so critical and skeptical of society and bureaucracy that they reject their environment completely.

            Although the novels are set in different time periods the idea they convey is very similar. In Heart of Darkness the ruling people are abusing someone else they consider inferior and imposing their “superiority” on them. In Catch 22, the war is against a clear enemy and some would even dare to say it was a righteous war. The abuse, in this case, happens from the ruling bureaucracy to their own soldiers. The point made is still very similar. They both state the hypocrisy and absurd nature of war and imperialism. As Marlow travels to the jungle he realizes how evil this enterprise is and how it is ironically masked for good. The “white man’s burden” creates a cover for the atrocity and economical convenience that imperialism brings. It is a very ironical concept, by trying to help someone they are actually brutalizing them. In Catch 22 this ironic element is also very present in the concept of catch 22. Anyone who is sane wouldn’t want to stay in the war and would express this desire, however the only way to get discharged is by asking. The army needs all the sane men they can have, so if you request your discharge you are assumed sane and effectively not discharged. This irony reflects again the absurdity present in both novels. Using deceptive circular reasoning “catches” you avoid having anyone discharged. The men are trapped in a satirical circle that abuses them and uses them for warfare. In both novels we see how the upper ruling classes, enjoy the luxuries of the big cities or the better tents or Milo’s best over-priced eggs. This happens while the slaves in the Congo, or the enlisted men in Italy die and are abused by the system.

            Yossarian and Marlow are rebels to this system, they of course have certain differences. Yossarian is funnier and more sarcastic and ironical. He is what many people would consider a coward. But how can anyone not be a coward in that situation? He expresses this very well, when he mentions that they are trying to kill him and McWatt rejects this statement. And Yossarian replies that he is being shot from everywhere by everyone, how is it that they aren’t trying to kill him. What McWatt means is that they aren’t trying to kill him in particular, which is even more absurd. They are trying to kill him and they don’t even know who he is. Yossarian is a the human representation of the absurdity of war: it is so ridiculous that it naturalizes the idea of unknown people being ordered to shoot each other for matters not of their own.

            Marlow is also against his surroundings. He hates the idea of imperialism and in some way takes a part in it, much like Yossarian. Marlow takes a different stance, he endures and conforms with the horror around him. His way of rebelling is by telling a story and expressing his rejection of imperialism. His point of view as a narrator is so insightful and deep that he shows a very cruel world in a very impacting way. He sees in the darkness that is the wole hypocrisy of imperialism, yet he truly does nothing.

            Both novels critique their environment’s cruelty, they do it through different ways: Comedy and Drama. Their characters are in similar situations, involved in a war they detest. However Yossarian hates the idea of war and is more concerned for his own well-being, practically not giving a damn about others. Marlow is more conscientious and reputes the cruelty towards others, given that he isn’t in as much danger as Yossarian he doesn’t fear for his life. Both characters are used to portray the criticism exerted on the practices of what Chief Bromden might call the “Combine”.

Catch 22 blog 1

As I read Catch 22 by Joseph Heller, I couldn’t help comparing to Dr Strangelove a film by Stanley Kubrick. Both works are harshly criticizes the war and do so in a very satirical way which is at times hysterical. At the same time they both, simplify war to the pulp and show its true absurd nature.

Dr. Strangelove’s plot revolves around an ultra nationalist Brigadier General’s plan to start the Third World War. He puts into a motion a secret code that when transmitted orders certain plains to detonate bombs over major Russian targets. This code is supposed only to be created under duress and implies that the USA’s homeland security has been compromised. As he transmits the code, he informs his base that the country has been compromised and that any incoming attack-even if it is apparently from the US army- should be repelled. He basically creates a plan that forced nuclear war to escalate, and the only one who can stop this plan is him. If by any chance the army attacks it will be taken as enemy invasion. This premise is very similar to the catch 22 present in Catch 22. It is in a different context and deals with different issues, but both ideas are circular. Meaning that they are designed to have no solution and no escape. In this catch 22, if you request relieve you are sane and they need all sanity possible in the field. If you complete your missions and stay for duty you are crazy-because anyone wanting to be in war is crazy-but you didn’t request your leave so you can’t be relieved.

In Catch 22 as in Dr. Strangelove, there is a strong criticism on the nationalism and paranoia that war and conflict arise. In Catch 22, Captain Black suffers from an outburst of paranoia. He decides to make everybody in the squadron sign loyalty pledges and sing the national anthem and recite the pledge of allegiance. In his mind, more pledges, and shows and recitals meant more loyalty. Anyone who wasn’t part of this charade was labeled a commie, or even a worse a German. In Captain Black’s case there is also another catch. He dislikes Major Major-major is his title and his name and his last name-so he doesn’t allow Major Major to sign pledges. Automatically Major Major is flagged as a commie and even though he wants to sign pledges he is not allowed to. The parallel isn’t exact but, in Dr Strangelove we see how war raises paranoia in the same way. The Brigadier Generals plan shows the audience that under pressure of war the mind can be driven to a state of complete paranoia, and makes people do absurd things.

The satirical tone of both works is clear and extremely efficient when it comes to criticizing war. In my opinion comedy is the best way to criticize something. For example, in Catch 22 there is a very important briefing where Coronel Catchcart, General Dreedle and Coronel Korn are addressing the low rank officers. During this event, Yossarian sees an attractive nurse and starts moaning, as this happens the whole room of officers enters in a moaning war charged with chaos, and passion. As this happens true human nature is revealed, even in the middle of a very tense meeting of war, the officers’ sexual urges rise above everything. In Dr. Strangelove, this comic effect is also used. The Soviet ambassador arrives to the pentagon to discuss the crisis. He starts taking pictures through a covert camera in his lighter. The American general tackles him and starts rough housing with the ambassador, like two children. This scene is very funny and serves to illustrate the purposelessness and immaturity of war.

Both works were published in the 60’s, which makes them highly controversial in their medium. While Catch 22 is set in WWII and Dr. Strangelove in the Cold War, both are timely criticisms on the politics of their country and of the nationalist, polar tendencies existent in the people of the country. Through humor they warn about the dangers of war, how in times of duress things escalate quickly and everything is permitted.